Double-wheeled step-ladder.



0. G. DAVIS. DOUBLE WHEELBD 8TH LADDER.

APPLICATION FILED PERM, 1910. I

Patented Sept. 20, 1910.

2 sums-alum 1.

0'. a. DAVIS. DOUBLE WHEELED STEP LADDER.

APPLIOATIOK FILED PEB.26,'1910.

970,690. Patented se t; 20, 1910.

2 SKI-23118 5111218! 2- CLEVELAND G. DAVIS, 01? MANISTEE, MICHIGAN.

DOUBLE-W'HEELED STEP-LADDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 20, 1910.

Application filed February 25, 1910. Serial No. 545,982.

To all whom it may concern:

VVheeled StepLadders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to step ladders and has for its object theprovision of a ladder which shall be particularly adapted for fruitpicking, this ladder being so designed that it may be transported fromplace to place or moved around a tree without closing the ladder orlifting it bodily from the ground.

A further object is to provide a ladder of 1 this construction which,when closed, may

be used as a truck or barrow whereby the baskets of fruit may betransported from the tree to the place of deposit.

Y. Further objects are the provision of means for supporting basketsupon the ladder, and certain details of construction as will behereafter stated.

For a full understanding of the invention and the invention and meritsthereof,

. and to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction, referenceis to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved ladder in its unfoldedposition; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the ladder folded and supportedupon its front wheels; Fig.

I the samereference characters.

Referring to these drawings 2 2 designate the two pairs of legs for theladder. These pairs are inclined toward each other when the ladder isopen and are provided at their upper ends with the uppermost steps orplatforms 3 3 which are hinged to each other so that the legs 2 2 may beclosed against each other .or be opened out, in the positions shownrespectively in Figs. 3 and 1. Each pair of legs is provided with thetransversely extending steps 4 which are supported thereon in anysuitable manner. The lower end of one pair of legs is provided with thewheels 6, the wheels being placed upon an axle (3 which extends throughthe legs. Pivotally attached to the legs 9. are the opposite braces 7which at their other ends are shiftably connected to guide rods 8 whichare attached to the outer face of each of the legs 2. In order to permitthe braces 7 to be used as a support for fruit baskets, I provide thetransverse slats 7* which restupon the braces 7, and in order to furtherprovide supports for fruit baskets, I attach to the upper steps orplatform 3 the shiftable basketsupporting hooks 17. Each hook dependsfrom a longitudinally sliding bar 15 which is mounted in eyes 16depending beneath the bottom of the upper steps 3 3. The extremity ofthe bar 15 is formed with a stop lug 15 which prevents the lock frombeing entirely withdrawn. It will be seen that these hooks may be drawnoutward into basket-engaging position, as shown in Fig. l, or may bemoved inward beneath the upper step, as in Fig. 2. Attached to each ofthe legs 2 are the pivoted handles 10. These handles are pivoted at 9just above the pivoted end of the adjacent brace 7 so that when thehandles are turned into a position at right angles to the legs 2, theextremities of the handles will abut against the ends of the braces 7and be stopped by the braces. Thus any lifting movement upon the handleswill act to lift the legs 2 so that the latter will be supportedentirely upon the wheels (3. The handles may be turned down into aposition in alinement with the legs 2 when the ladder is folded.

As shown in Fig. 1, the ladder when unfolded may be lifted by means ofthe handles 10 and may be shifted to any desired position, the Weight ofthe ladder being practically'all supported upon the wheels 6. It will beseen that the shifting of the ladder will not disturb the baskets offruit supported thereon, and that the ladder and the baskets of fruitmay be readily moved about a tree into the most convenient position forpicking. WVhen folded, as shown in Fig. 2, the ladder is in conditionfor easy transportation and is also adapted to be used as a barrow fortransporting the baskets of fruit, the smaller baskets being supportedupon the steps 4, while the large basket which in Fig. l was shown assupported upon the rack formed by the braces 7, is held in an uprightposition upon the legs 2 by means of the folding arms 11 which arepivoted to the legs 2 and at their outer ends are provided with thecross brace 13. The outer edges of the legs 2 are notched or cut away,as at 13*, to receive the cross bar 13 when the arms are foldedintoalinement with the legs 2 A chain 14 limits the outward movement of thearms'll and acts as a support for the arms when they are turned intoposition shown in Fig. 2.

In order to hold both sides of the ladder in line when folded, I providethe metal guide pieces 18 which are attached one to each of the legs 2and project out toward thelegs 2 so that when the legs 2 are foldedagainst the legs 2, they will engage the guide pieces 18 and thus thelegs are held in alinement.

My ladder I have found to be very effective in practice, as it may bewheeled to any desired position, and even when unfolded, it does notrequire that the baskets of fruit be removed therefrom in order to allowit to be shifted. Furthermore, the double pairs of legs each providedwith the steps 1, permit two persons to use the ladder at the same time.The ladder is light, and by reason of the fact that it has a wheeledsupport, it may be easily handled by a small boy and rolled from placeto place even when being used as a truck or barrow.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 1. A step ladderhaving. opposedpairs of supports, steps carried by each pair ofsupports, a step at the upper end of each pair of supports, saiduppermost steps being hinged to each other, a brace pivoted to one pairof supports and having sliding engagement with the other pair, saidbrace being connected by cross bars to form a basket support, wheelsmounted on the lower ends of one pair of supports, and handles pivotedto the other pair of supports adjacent to the ment with the other pair,said brace being composed of parallel bars connected by cross bars andforming a basket support, wheels mounted on the lower ends of one pairof supports, handles pivoted to the other pair of supports, and a rackcomprising side bars pivoted to one of the supports adjacent to theinner ends of the handles, cross bars attached to said side bars, and aflexible connection between the extremity of the rack and the supports.

3. A step ladder having opposed pairs of supports, a step at the upperend of each,

pair of supports, said steps being hinged to each other, abrace pivotedto the upper end of one pair of supports and having sliding'engagementwith the other pair, said brace composed of parallel bars connected bycross bars and being adapted to be moved I into a position approximatelyparallel with the supports when the supports are folded together,handles pivoted to the support with which the brace has pivotedengagement, and a rack pivoted to the last named supports adjacent tothe pivoted ends of the handles and adapted to be turned outward into aposition at right angles to the supports, and a flexible connectionbetween the extremity of the hook and the supports.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLEVELAND G. DAVIS. [Ls] Witnesses:

JAMES L. SIBBEN, LILLIE HANSON.

